Studies on the sensing behaviour of nanocrystalline CuGa2O4 towards hydrogen, liquefied petroleum gas and ammonia

In the present article, the gas sensing behaviour of nanocrystalline CuGa2O4 towards H2, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and NH3 has been reported for the first time. Nanocrystalline powders of CuGa2O4 having average particle sizes in the range of 30–60 nm have been prepared through thermal decomposition of an aqueous precursor solution comprising copper nitrate, gallium nitrate and triethanol amine (TEA), followed by calcination at 750 °C for 2 h. The synthesized nanocrystalline CuGa2O4 powders have been characterised through X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) study, energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) analysis and BET (Brunauer–Emmett–Teller) surface area measurement. The synthesized CuGa2O4 having spinel structure with specific surface area of 40 m2/g exhibits maximum sensitivity towards H2, LPG, and NH3 at 350 °C.